Central Library’s Brown Baggers book group read and discussed The Wind Knows My Name (2023) by Isabel Allende on June 18th.  Allende is a Chilean-American, prolific author who writes in Spanish and her works tend to be historical fiction with a bit of magical realism.

“The Wind Knows My Name” tells the story of a migrant child, Anita, who was separated from her mother at the US border.  And in a parallel story line we learn about elderly Samuel Adler, who was a Kindertransport child, orphaned by World War II and a WWII refugee to the United States. Their paths cross in a benevolent way thanks to the work of Selena who is an advocate for migrant children.

Much of our discussion centered around the current border and migrant situation around the world including in the Ukraine, the Middle East and at the US border. The tragic desperation of families wanting to come here so badly that they will risk separation from their children. We also discussed the life long impact of childhood trauma and the importance of recognizing it and processing that trauma.

Some of our readers felt Allende’s advocacy for the migrant cause pushed the writing and her agenda too far, but others were fine with that and even liked it.

One of our book group members shared her recollection of meeting Allende and hosting her for a discussion when Allende lived here as a visiting UVA professor in 1986.  

For several of our readers this was their first Allende title, but many felt that they would be interested in reading other titles by her thanks to reading this one.

Also, in looking for the year Allende was here in Charlottesville, I learned that in October 2024, the Free Book Bus in Charlottesville received a substantial collection of Spanish-language literature donated by the Isabel Allende Foundation, expanding access to her novels for local Spanish readers. 

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